LOUISA REBGETZ, PRESENTER: A Central Australian team will join the Northern Territory Football League competition next season. The proposed Central Australian Football Club will play a number of trial games in Darwin and there's also the possibility of some games being played in Alice Springs. All players will have to be working, training or studying in order to be allowed to play. I spoke with Rob Clarke from the Central Australian Football Club earlier today about the opportunities this provides for young players.

LOUISA REBGETZ: Rob Clarke welcome to the program.

ROB CLARKE, CENTRAL AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL CLUB: Yes, thank you.

LOUISA REBGETZ: What's the significance of this announcement?

ROB CLARKE: The major avenue for our local talent to be showcased in the state league. There's some great footballers there - look what Thunder's achieved. You'll be actually showcasing week by week up in Darwin in front of the Thunder selectors, in front of AFL selectors so it's automatically a much wider scope of people to see what you can do.

LOUISA REBGETZ: What opportunities will this offer to central Australian players do you think?

ROB CLARKE: It gives that stepping stone from local CAFL football into Thunder and then from there, well hopefully, AFL.

LOUISA REBGETZ: And do you think this is a realistic pathway into the AFL?

LOUISA REBGETZ: Why do you think there is so much talent in central Australia?

ROB CLARKE: Well what else can you do here - you can't go fishing so I suppose sport is the major benefit you know if you're good at it.

LOUISA REBGETZ: We've seen some AFL stars come out of the Top End and very few out of central Australia, the likes of Liam Jurrah but is there more Liam Jurrahs out there I guess?

ROB CLARKE: Well there's players playing in the AFL now - Matt Campbell for North Melbourne and look at the superstars that have been, you know spring to mind - Darryl White for the Brisbane Lions played in three premierships, incredible player from Alice Springs. Yeah and for our population to how many people who've made AFL it would have to be second to none I'd say without this club so imagine what it would be with the club.

LOUISA REBGETZ: The program you were running in central Australia is more than just football, how is this helping give young men better life skills?

ROB CLARKE: There's two parts to this, the Central Australian Football Club and the right tracks program which is engaging young 18 to 25 year-old Aboriginal males in central Australia in basic life skills, job creation, leadership, just basic everyday social activities obviously in training and the deal is if you are not in a job, if you are not in full time study you have to be in the Right Tracks program to be eligible to play in this side.

LOUISA REBGETZ: How successful do you hope this will be?

ROB CLARKE: With that carrot of playing in such a very strong hard-fought league in the Top End bringing it as a whole state league as a carrot to do the right tracks program you will see results out of it.

LOUISA REBGETZ: What is the biggest barrier in seeing these, such talented footballers actually reach their potential down there?

ROB CLARKE: Our biggest trouble down here is the distance we have to travel, not just from Alice Springs to Darwin for example, Alice Springs to Melbourne wherever it may be but just from even Yuendumu to Alice Springs or Ti Tree to Alice Springs, it's the distance, the amount of travel you're required, the vehicles needed so in the Right Tracks Central Australian Football Club model there will be transportation, will be actually housing lads, they'll be in a family environment basically. The great thing is they won't have to leave here if they've got talent they can stay, train, learn and play in this club.

LOUISA REBGETZ: Is this just the start of a bigger involvement for central Australia, I mean where do you hope this could lead?

ROB CLARKE: Oh I hope it leads to let's say 30 young men that wouldn't have got jobs will have jobs. I hope it leads to families having a more secure and safe future relying on themselves. I hope it leads to an under 17s side going up to play Palmerston, Buffaloes, you know there's so much it could lead to and we have that carrot and we'd be silly if we didn't use it.